Violeta

 Violeta by Isabel Allende was a selection for my book club this year and it fit several prompts for different challenges perfectly.  This was my first book by Allende and I will be reading more works by her in the future for sure.  Overall I really liked the way she combines character development and story action.  My only real complaint was the ending of the book felt as though she was throwing as many possible social issues into the story as possible rather than sticking to the main plotline that centered around the Chilean political uprising and the general US involvement in Latin American politics.  The story is an amazing saga of the family and all it underwent over the course of Violetta's lifetime.  

Violeta by Isabel Allende
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

fantastic epic historical novel

This is such a beautiful mix of description and characters. The history of Chile and S America that is revisited in this novel is an astonishing reminder of how much has changed in the world and how often it repeats in a different manner. The only reason I did not give this 5 stars is the last portion felt as though all the faults in the world had to be thrown into the storyline/Violeta’s reflection letter. It just felt a bit contrived at that point whereas the rest of the book had felt authentic without lecturing til then. I am glad I went back and finished this book after having begun earlier in the year


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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #  101 
2. Literary Escapes  #LiteraryEscapes  Chile
3. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2022   Book #125
4. Historic Fiction  #histficreadingchallenge   Book #13
5. Around the Year in 52 Books # 38. A book by a Latin American author
6. BooklistQueen  #booklistqueenreadingchallenge2022  # 23. A Book Everyone is Talking About 
7. Beat the Backlist #BTB2022  #30 translated to your native language
8. Nerd Daily  #NERDREADING2022 #21 a book you never finished 
9. Pick your Poison #97 a book about a pandemic
10. Beyond the Bookends  December- Read a family drama
11. Book Voyage  #bookvoyagechallenge  December: Books Spanning Multiple Continents
12. Diversify your reading #DYRC22  Dec Historic Fiction
13. Lifetime of Reading  multi generational
14. Uncorked Reader #UncorkedReading2022  #5 hiking

Not So Different

 When I selected this book from my library I wasn't aware it was a children's book.   I picked it because I had previously read Laughing at My Nightmare (Blog review) by Shane and enjoyed it.  He definitely knows how to write frankly about his experiences in a way to help people understand his perspective.  This is a great book for sharing with children or to get a feeling for the type of books Shane Burcaw writes.  

Not So Different: What You Really Want to Ask About Having a Disability by Shane Burcaw
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

great perspective to share with kids

This is the second book by Shane I’ve read and his attitude is so inspiring. His struggles remind me to put difficult things in my life in perspective. They are ant hills compared to the things he deals with daily

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #   99
2. 2022TBR  #2022ReadingChallenge  # 
3. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2022   Book #121
4. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #90
5. Non Fiction Reader  #ReadNonFicChal   Book #9. Linked to a podcast
6. Humor  Book #2
7. 52 Book Club  #the52bookclub  #40 A book with photographs inside
8. OWLS #22 Cheering Charm: A funny or happy book
9. Pick your Poison #52 a book wider than it is tall
10. Diversify your reading #DYRC22  non fiction
11. 52 books in 52 weeks  #10 Humor Me
12. Unruly Reader Bingo  #25 biography

Santa Cruise

 Santa Cruise is the first book I have read by Fern Michaels.  I was drawn to the book based upon the cover and the title.  For some reason I felt like reading a Christmas type book and decided this would be a perfect Christmas in July theme read.   I don't generally read the more romance chick flick type books a lot but I did find myself thoroughly enjoying this book.  It was fun reading about the cruise and all the exciting activities and ports of call particularly since it has been several years since we have been on one and I do miss this vacation style.  

The character relationships fit well with the concept of good friends reuniting at a high school reunion and reigniting old bonds.  The redevelopment of their friendships felt organic and realistic.  Their personal development and growth when facing life changing career decisions seemed real and the level of uncertainty and angst was conveyed at a believable level.  

I would not hesitate to select another book by Fern Michaels if I was looking for a feel good escape.  

Santa Cruise by Fern Michaels
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

fun book combining Christmas and vacation

What a fun book about a cruise reuniting a group of HS friends add in Christmas season and a bit of romance. All in all a fun enjoyable read

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #61
2. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2022   Book #73
3. 52 Book Club  #the52bookclub  # 17 A book picked based on its spine
4. Bookworm #43 Read a book by an author with the same name as one of your parents 
5. Nerd Daily  #NERDREADING2022 #8 bought based on cover 
6. PopSugar #popsugarreadingchallenge #2. A book set on a plane, train, or cruise ship
7. Pick your Poison #103  a beach read 
8. Monthly Motif #MonthlyMotifGXO  JULY- Summer Lovin’ 
9. Diversify your reading #DYRC22  Jul Contemporary Fiction

I Must Betray You

 Although I Must Betray You is a Young Adult book by Ruta Sepetys I did not feel it was too immature to enjoy as an adult.  Like Salt to the Sea ( my review) and The Fountains of Silence ( my review) which I have read previously, I found this book to be informative.  It provides some depth into a historical event I was aware of but not in much detail.  I appreciate that Sepetys builds suspense and action into historical fiction.  I hope her works inspire younger readers to enjoy history and learn more about the past of not only our country but the global world around us.  

While this book provides a bleak look at the effects of communism in Romania it is inspiring to read about how Cristian and the others find a way to have their voices heard and to bring about change in their country.   It is hard to fault the bad guys for doing what they have done to survive.   Sepetys creates a narrative that fully captures the inability to trust anyone that is created by the regime.  There is quite a build-up to figuring out who is the guilty betrayer and it is a bit of a shock.   

Be sure to read the author's notes at the end as they provide a foundation of the realities of communism and a lack of freedom of speech.  I highly recommend this book, especially in light of what is going on in Ukraine currently.  It is easy for those of us in stable Democratic countries to forget just how tough like can be elsewhere in the world.  Our struggles, though real are all relative when compared to other nations.  

I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is an intense story. I am old enough to remember when this revolution happened in Romania and the wall came down. This story, although fiction is an amazingly well written story that combines romance, intrigue and suspicion. The story is well written and is engaging for readers of all ages. Lovers of historical fiction will enjoy this book

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #53
2. Literary Escapes  #LiteraryEscapes  Romania
3. AtoZ   #2022AtoZReadingChallenge  #AlphabetSoupChallenge  I
4. 2022TBR  #2022ReadingChallenge  # 5 YA Book
5. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2022   Book #64
6. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #64
7. Historic Fiction  #histficreadingchallenge   Book #8
8. Bookworm #35 Read a Psychological Thriller
9. BooklistQueen  #booklistqueenreadingchallenge2022  #17. Set in the 1980s
10. Beat the Backlist #BTB2022  #32 superheroes/villains OR character in disguise
11. Nerdy Bookworm  #NerdyBookwormChallengeXO #18 Highly anticipated read
12. PopSugar #popsugarreadingchallenge #13. A book set in the 1980s
13. Pick your Poison #60 a new release you feel guilty reading because your TBR list is so long
14. Monthly Keyword #MonthlyKeyWordGXO  "You"
15. Beyond the Bookends  YA Romance
16. Diversify your reading #DYRC22  Thriller
17. 52 books in 52 weeks  #8 hall pass

What Is the Story of Scooby-Doo?

 What Is the Story of Scooby-Doo? was a book I found while trying to decide what to read for the prompt to read a book based on a screen show that you haven't read previously.  I realized I had watched plenty of Scooby Doo episodes and movies so this would meet that requirement.  I actually really enjoyed reading about the history of the character and the different evolutions of the program.  It was a fun trip down memory lane.  I highly recommend this book for any Scooby Doo lovers out there.

What Is the Story of Scooby-Doo? by M.D. Payne
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

great info for any Scooby-Doo lover out there

This book was full of fun and interesting information about a Scooby-Doo and the gang. I learned a bunch of stuff I didn’t know and the book brought back lots of memories

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #41
2. What an Animal Book #28
3. Non Fiction Reader  #ReadNonFicChal    #7  Reference
4. 52 Book Club  #the52bookclub  #39 A middle-grade novel
5. Beat the Backlist #BTB2022  #37 reading for research, reference, or general interest
6. Bookworm #55 Read a book that has a title in the form of a question
7. Nerdy Bookworm  #NerdyBookwormChallengeXO #5  Read a book based on a tv series or movie adaptation 
8. Nerd Daily  #NERDREADING2022 #5 mystery or middle grade
9. Diversify your reading #DYRC22  May: History & Biography
10. While I was Reading  #1 A book with a question in the title.

The Secret, Book & Scone Society

 The Secret, Book & Scone Society is the first book in the  series of the same name by Ellery Adams.  This series is different from the others I have read by her.  In each of her series the protagonist has a secret and they are protecting it.  In this book though the characters are very well developed.  Their flaws and fragility are very apparent.  It feels much more emotional and deeper than the average cozy mystery.  I really enjoyed reading this and learning about the characters and what makes them who they are.   

The mystery itself is very well written and the guilty party was not evident until right as it was revealed to the reader.   I look forward to reading more in this series for sure.  

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The Secret, Book & Scone Society by Ellery Adams
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This cozy mystery has wonderful characters that truly are the center of the story. The development of their friendship is well constructed and feels very authentic. The 4 women all have past histories that brought them to Miracle Springs, NC as damaged and untrusting women. This book shows their slow growth in learning to trust and depend on each other. Although the timetable is probably a little unrealistically fast, it still demonstrates the struggles each woman goes through in learning to trust and open up to the others. I look forward to reading more about their relationships going forward

The mystery itself was very well constructed and there are plenty of twists and turns. The motive is well constructed and the women unravel it slowly but fairly methodically. There are definitely some twists and the ending has surprises.

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #30
2. Literary Escapes  #LiteraryEscapes  NC
3. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2022   Book #41
4. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #33
5. Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #25
6. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #44
7. Craving for Cozies  Book #42
8. Medical Examiner Challenge 2 Toe Tags
9. Beachcomber Challenge  
• Crime Scene- train tracks; bar
• Weapon- push; poison
10. Six Shooter Challenge  Target # 41 Shot #3
11. Around the Year in 52 Books #7. A book related to psychology, neuroscience or the mind
12. OWLS 22  #2 Deathly Hallows: A book that has a symbol on the cover
13. Pick your Poison #6 a book by an author whose last name could be a first name
14. Beyond the Bookends  set in bookstore
15. Diversify your reading #DYRC22  mystery

A Safe House

 Given this is the 61st book in the Stone Barrington series by Stuart Woods I am not surprised it is formulaic and predictable.   This was the first and probably the last time I read it as an audiobook.  I did not care for the narrator's portrayal of Dino Bacchetti's voice. It was far too nasally, and I have lived in NYC so I am familiar with NY accents, this was an over the top nasal twang.  

  The other aspect of this book that I did not care for was the level of stupidity the characters portrayed.  Bill Eggers the managing partner of the law firm Stone works for was made to sound like a bumbling idiot.  The choices Stone and Jenna (his client) make regarding entrance to properties where they are staying are pathetic considering they are being pursued by individuals looking to kill them both.  

I don't read these novels for intellectual stimulation or hard hitting thoughts, but this particular installment was darn right annoying.  I will not be rushing to check out the next Stone Barrington entry anytime soon.

A Safe House by Stuart Woods
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book is about on par with the others in the series in terms of plot complexity and predictability. At least Stones’s bedroom antics are monogamous in this book. It was full of globetrotting to his different homes while trying to outrun a hired gun of an angry ex. I really am giving this a 2.5 because I did not care for how dumb Bob Eggers was portrayed. He was made to be a bumbling idiot vs successful law partner. Also the ludicrous behaviors of Stone and Jenna in light of attempted murders of both of them were ridiculous. I know someone is pursuing me but I’m going to buzz them into my office unattended. Come on. Also I listened to the audio book for this and I did not care for the portrayal of Dino Bacchetti’s voice. It rubbed me the wrong way.
If you want a mindless thriller that you can get lost in for a day or 2 then this will meet that requirement don’t read it for hard hitting storylines or literary value

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #29
2. Literary Escapes  #LiteraryEscapes  ME
3. Finishing the Series   #FinishingTheSeries2022  Series: 11 Book #2
4. Audiobook  #2022AudiobookChallenge  #2
5. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2022   Book #40
6. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #43
7. Medical Examiner Challenge  3 Toe Tags
8. Beachcomber Challenge  
• Crime Scene- car; home office; bedroom
• Weapon- car bomb; gun
• Detectives- stone barrington; dino bacchetti
• Victims- Jamie Jacoby; Wallace Slade; Harley Quince
9. Six Shooter Challenge  Target # 5 Shot #4
10. Around the Year in 52 Books #51 A book published in 2022
11. Bookworm #30 Read a Revenge Story
12. BooklistQueen  #booklistqueenreadingchallenge2022  #29. An Audiobook
13. Nerdy Bookworm  #NerdyBookwormChallengeXO #7 Thriller novel 
14. Nancy Drew #5. The Secret of Shadow Ranch (1931) - read a book with horses in the story
15. Pick your Poison #23 a suspense novel
16. Diversify your reading #DYRC22  April: Mystery

A Murder between the Pages

 

A Murder between the Pages by Amy Lillard continues on the antics of the ladies of the Friday Night book Club and their abilities to test Arlo's patience.  I enjoy the growing details of the relationship between these women and Arlo as well as that of Arlo and Chloe's friendship.   The awkward romantic triangle between Arlo, Mads, and Sam, while a bit cliché, is an interesting dynamic that overlays the mysteries as well.  This book depicts life in small town Sugar Springs, Mississippi which I imagine is quite like living in a small town in many areas of the US.  The ladies of the book club use the beauty parlor as the source for town gossip to help them investigate both the 50 year old mystery as well as the current murder that both involved Lillyfield Manor and the wealthy Whitney family.  There is definitely a sense of reverence for the wealthy Whitney family whether they deserve it or not and there is a sense of mystery that surrounds their life as it differs from the rest of the town's residents.  These details add to the storyline and the mystery. The mystery was a bit predictable as I formulated my suspicions about halfway through the story, but it was still enjoyable to see how the story played out.   

The mystery ends with a cliff hanger that I am curious to learn more about in the next book in the series.  

A Murder Between the Pages by Amy Lillard
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This second book in the series does a wonderful job of incorporating small town Mississippi into the plot. The antics of the Friday Night Book Club add a wonderful dimension to the mysteries. The structure of this story was well written and I enjoyed the correlations the book club made between the real life story in their town with that in the novel written by a local raised author. The realism of their actions is a bit stretched as I am sure they would be in much more trouble in real life for their interference but it still adds a fun tone to the story.

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Finishing the Series   #FinishingTheSeries2022  Series:21  Book #1
2. What an Animal Book #22
3. Mount TBR   #MountTBR2022  Book # 9
4. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #32
5. Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #24
6. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #42
7. Craving for Cozies  Book #41
8. Medical Examiner Challenge  1 Toe Tags
9. Beachcomber Challenge  
• Crime Scene- stairs
• Weapon- statue
• Detectives- Arlo/Mads
• Victims- Hayley
10. Six Shooter Challenge  Target # 60 Shot #2
11. BooklistQueen  #booklistqueenreadingchallenge2022  #52. You Own But Haven’t Read
12. Beyond the Bookends  book set in bookstore
13. Diversify your reading #DYRC22  mystery

The Jasmine Moon Murder

 The Jasmine Moon Murder is perfect for tea lovers and mystery lovers alike.  This series is set in Theodosia's tea shop in Charleston, South Carolina.   I thoroughly enjoy the Southern charm and hospitality that appears throughout this series.  I am particularly intrigued by it right now as my son is considering attending college in South Carolina starting next year and I realized just how much of that region we could explore while visiting him.   

This is the 5th book in the series about Theodosia Browning and her tea shop.  The mysteries are well constructed and the atmosphere is well staged both in terms of Southern ambiance and the actual setting of the mysterious death in a cemetery. Theo investigates the death of  Jasper Davis, at the request of her  beau, Jory.   Uncle Jasper is a wonderful family member and a successful scientist involved in the development of a new angioplasty device.  The family and his company are at the center of the story.   The actual culprit was a surprise which is a nice turn of events since often the guilty party is predictable in cozy mysteries.  

This is a great book for those looking for an atmospheric mystery set in the South full of southern genteel and traditions, including a fox hunt.  I'm excited to read more in the series to learn more about different teas and to see how Theodosia and Jory's relationship develops.   

The Jasmine Moon Murder by Laura Childs
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Great cozy for anyone looking for Southern charm and great descriptions of tea and tea shops. The relationship between Theodosia and Jory is strengthened when she helps him figure out who’s behind the death of a family member. There were plenty of twists and the ending was a surprise

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Finishing the Series   #FinishingTheSeries2022  Series: 18 Book #1
2. Mount TBR   #MountTBR2022  Book # 8
3. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #31
4. Cozy Mysteries   #23 5 cozies each with a cover or spine representing one of the colors of the Olympic rings--   Yellow
5. Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #23
6. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #41
7. Craving for Cozies  Book #40
8. Medical Examiner Challenge  1 Toe Tags
9. Beachcomber Challenge  
• Crime Scene- cemetery
• Weapon- poison/fentanyl
• Detectives- theodosia
• Victims- jasper davis
10. Six Shooter Challenge  Target #1 Shot #6
11. Around the Year in 52 Books #1. A book with a main character whose name starts with A, T, or Y
12. Bookworm #52 A book with the number 5 in the title
13. Nancy Drew #40. The Moonstone Castle Mystery (1963) - read a book with a moon on the cover
14. OWLS 22  #50 Rubber Duck: A book with a yellow cover
15. Pick your Poison #59 a book you've been meaning to read
16. Diversify your reading #DYRC22  mystery
17. Lifetime of Reading  April – Life in Your 30s
18. 52 books in 52 weeks  #31 Southern Fiction

People We Meet on Vacation

 People We Meet on Vacation was a book that popped on my radar in 2021 but I never managed to pick it up at the library.  I was glad I decided to try this book to complete several of the 2022 challenge prompts.  It is a fun light hearted book that has deeper undertones if the reader wants to stop and reflect on the storyline more thoroughly.  If you just want a light read you can enjoy the book just as much as if you chose to think about it more deeply.   I think I am going to have to try Emily Henry's other book, Beach Read at some point in the near future as well.  

People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a wonderful book focusing on the development of a relationship between Poppy and Alex. I enjoyed how the prologue was about an event that you didn't realize the significance of until much later in the story. The format of flipping between present-day and past summers was well done as the story moved through time. The book has layers of emotion and character flaws and strengths. For those looking for a light rom-com type read it will satisfy; those looking for deeper characters and self/life analysis will find that as well.

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #9
2. Literary Escapes  #LiteraryEscapes OH
3. Alphabet Soup Author Edition #AlphabetSoupAuthorChallenge  E
4. Color Coded  Other- orange
5. 2022TBR  #2022ReadingChallenge  # 13 
6. Around the Year in 52 Books #17. A book from NPR's Book Concierge
7. 52 Book Club  #the52bookclub  #45 A book with illustrated people on cover
8. BooklistQueen  #booklistqueenreadingchallenge2022  #2. Goodreads Winner in 2021
9. Bookworm #3 Read a book that was recommended to you
10. Beat the Backlist #BTB2022  #22 protagonist has a profession that twists the truth
11. Nancy Drew #4. The Mystery at Lilac Inn (1930) - OR read a book where the mc stays at an inn or hotel
12. Nerd Daily  #NERDREADING2022 #46  quoted by an author you like
13. Nerdy Bookworm  #NerdyBookwormChallengeXO #10  Hyped book that everyone is talking about
14. OWLS 22  #45 Cuthbert Binns: A book you “slept” on    
15. Pick your Poison #107 an award winning book
16. PopSugar #popsugarreadingchallenge #32. A book with a quote from your favorite author on the cover or Amazon page
17. Monthly Motif #MonthlyMotifGXO  strong women
18. Beyond the Bookends  feel good book
19. Diversify your reading #DYRC22 romance
20. 52 books in 52 weeks  #45 Still waters Run Deep
21. Unruly Reader Bingo  #6 librarian recommended

Diversify Your Reading

 This is a challenge based around monthly prompts.   It is intended to read a book for each month's prompts

#DYRC22

My Selections

• January: Memoir/Autobiography
• Songteller by Dolly Parton
• Blog Post and Goodreads Review 6/6/22
• February: Romance
• People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry
• Blog Post and Goodreads Review  2/3/22
• The Christmas Joy Ride by Melody Carlson
• Blog Post and Goodreads Review 2/18/22
• March: Fantasy
• Mirror Girls by Kelly McWilliams
• Blog Post and Goodreads Review 4/11/22
• April: Mystery
• The Jasmine Moon Murder (A Tea Shop Mystery, #5) by Laura Childs
•  Blog Post and Goodreads Review 4/1/22
• A Murder Between the Pages (Main Street Book Club Mysteries #2) by Amy Lillard
• Blog Post and Goodreads Review 4/3/22
• The Secret, Book & Scone Society by Ellery Adams
• Blog Post and Goodreads Review 4/9/22
• May: History & Biography
• Jackie and Maria by Gill Paul
• Blog Post and Goodreads Review 5/7/22 
• What Is the Story of Scooby-Doo?  by MD Payne
• Blog Post and Goodreads Review 4/25/22
• June: Thriller
• I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys
• Blog Post and Goodreads Review 6/3/22
• July: Contemporary Fiction
• Santa Cruise by Fern Michaels
• Blog Post and Goodreads Review 7/15/22
• August: Young Adult
• Geekerella by Ashley Poston
• Blog Post and Goodreads Review 7/22/22
• September: Literary Fiction
• The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood
•  Blog Post and Goodreads Review 9/15/22
• October: Historical Romance
• Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
• Blog Post and Goodreads Review 10/20/22
• November: Non-Fiction
• Not So Different: What You Really Want to Ask About Having a Disability by Shane Burcaw
• Blog Post and Goodreads Review 11/29/22
• December: Historical Fiction
• Violeta by Isabel Allende
• Blog Post and Goodreads Review 12/9/22